Patina

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?

Lately, my pieces have been heavily influenced by Baroque painting, especially in the use of chiaroscuro, and I am currently working on a project titled Patinainspired by this same artistic period and focused on grief.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?

I learned that part of the creative process always involves letting go in order to make authentic and sincere work. I realized that pushing myself too hard is exhausting and counterproductive, so now I try to give both myself and my work some breathing room. Inspiration comes when it wants to, and part of being an artist is knowing how to respect that space. 

What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?

Honestly, when I took the photos, I didn’t have a clear idea of how I wanted them to look, nor was I thinking of anything specific; I was driven more by curiosity to experiment and see what would come out. Looking at them now, I think most of them relate to a process of rediscovery and confrontation, both with my photography and with myself, and also to a kind of mourning hat hasn't quite faded yet.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?

I think the book In Praise of Shadows, Nan Goldin’s film All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, some lectures from Raymundo Mier in which he reflected on the gaze, and also conversations with my friends.

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?

I think the hardest part has been making peace with the idea that creative processes aren't linear. Many times I've let the pressure consume me and fallen into this incredibly harmful trap of thinking that if I'm not constantly producing, it's because I have nothing left to say or because I've reached my creative limit. Now I try to release that pressure and take photos without expectations, because I feel most confident in what I’m doing that way, and I enjoy it the most. For me, the most important thing is not to stop doing what we’re passionate about, even if there are stages that are more challenging than others.

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?

A Spanish restaurant in la Roma called Alioli. I recommend their papas bravas and paella.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?

I think I would call it something like Nights of Insomnia, and I would like it to have a soundtrack similar to Only Lovers Left Alive.

Recommend us an artist you follow who inspires you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.

Rineke Dijkstra one of the photographers who has inspired me the most lately (though Duane Michals and Nan Goldin are always present). Her series of portraits of teenagers on the beach moved me deeply, and listening to her speak about the process and motivation behind it felt incredibly beautiful and profound. From her Beach Portraits project and what she says about it, I take away the idea that, being in a constant search for oneself, one inevitably seeks to recognize themselves in others—and that is what makes art intimate, close, and genuine. Besides that series, she has others that are equally powerful and raw, which are definitely worth exploring.